The 5th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-a-long!

[Happy Chooks]

I'm not completely sure how the inside of their egg is set up. I just know they can NOT be turned at all. But it makes sense, because reptiles normally bury their eggs "for good" and don't shuffle them around like a chicken does.

And I was using the LG at the lower temp with a couple of those short round containers you get at the grocery store filled with water for extra humidity. BUT the latest LG incubators have a new design with a HUGE surface area for water, and that might work for them now. As a matter of fact, I had the humidity up WAY too high these past few days for hatching chicken eggs, and had to get a dry washcloth to empty a few out! So I'm thinking it won't have too much trouble holding humidity for turtle eggs now. And the new LG incubator also holds temp very well, so I'm good with that too.

I also think the 60-90 days issue is more for "naturally laid" eggs, out in the wild. Temperatures and humidity can vary there, and that would make the hatch time vary. Many people who raise them ONLY as pets also still leave them in outside pens and let them lay naturally. And box turtles are so incredibly good at hiding their eggs, most people don't even realize a hole was ever dug!

And raising them for breeding can be a pain in the butt too. I have to adjust the lighting to go along with the seasons so the turtles still "experience" a winter. So every few weeks, I'm adding or taking away time on the light timer.

But don't worry - as soon as she actually starts to lay the eggs, I'll be posting pics in the incubating and hatching thread, and doing regular progress updates. I can't leave my fellow chicken people in the dark!

I'll have to be on the lookout for baby turtle pictures.

 

[arcountrychick]

Definitely count me in! I had a blast last year. I'll be setting wyandotte eggs again this year, silver laced, gold laced, blue. And probably some barred rocks too. I'm actually going to set some next week so they can be my test hatch.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Definitely count me in! I had a blast last year. I'll be setting wyandotte eggs again this year, silver laced, gold laced, blue. And probably some barred rocks too. I'm actually going to set some next week so they can be my test hatch.

Welcome back!

 

[Sally Sunshine]

ChooksChick, I think you misunderstood about hugging the sheep! You have my permission to hug them if you can catch them! Grown sheep just aren't very cuddly. However, lambs are more huggable...as long as you have Mama's permission. BTW, we may be having lambs by Sheep Shearing Day (March 22)...Farrah is bagging up!

Sally Sunshine, we used to get my grandkids and friends' kids together in the barn the day before Easter to dye eggs. No worries about dye staining anyone's kitchen floor, and the kids had a blast! We did both regular "grocery store" and natural dyes with onion skins. But, grandkids turned into teens and everyone had other plans. Now, I have 7 year old and 2 year old grands...and a lot of neighbors with kids...and the farm is now registered as an Agritourism site (with Chicken World strictly off limits to visitors, for biosecurity reasons). So...why not invite everyone?

edited by staff

LOL! in the barn!

I dont have one of those ! Thats really cool of you to do it!

Quote: I was noseyin on that thread! Get both! very neat visually and in reading pretty cool breeds as well!

YAY! It's HERE!!!

This will be my first Easter hatch-a-long, but my first hatch was NYE and it was VERY fun and I love still talking to people there.

My Brinsea will be filled with Rhodebars for Easter. Dd13 is trying to talk me into a couple ducks, but I am not too keen on having them make a mess everywhere! Besides, we can't decide...she wants white calls and I prefer the tall bottle-shaped ones.

YAY Rhodebars are gorgeous, I am itching for them but cant do them, no room! Do both breeds if you have the room

Sally ENABLER Sunshine!

Yay! I can't wait for this. My incubator is currently full of Muscovy eggs, but they should be hatching the 15th of March(god willing at this point, **** duck eggs

)

Now to decide what I want to hatch!

I think duck eggs have been my most favorite to incubate, nothing like candling a duck egg and seeing the beaks and feet!

Unless we have some eastern Australians or Kiwis jumping in, the sun will rise first in CocoBeach come Easter Saturday

Count me and Bernie, the Filipino Poultry Phenom in with Quail, Chickens and hopefully Guineas and Scovies

Quote: That would be awesome!! I would love to follow! Have you begun a thread somewhere that I can subscribe to?

Definitely count me in! I had a blast last year. I'll be setting wyandotte eggs again this year, silver laced, gold laced, blue. And probably some barred rocks too. I'm actually going to set some next week so they can be my test hatch.

 

[LTygress]

That would be awesome!! I would love to follow! Have you begun a thread somewhere that I can subscribe to?

Not quite. I posted something about the actual successful breeding, but I'm going to wait until she lays the eggs and create another thread about the hatching.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Quote: awesome, please dont forget to search me out and give me a heads up! I really am extremely interested in following!

 

[LTygress]

awesome, please dont forget to search me out and give me a heads up! I really am extremely interested in following!

Will do ;-P

 

[mlm Mike]

Welcome everyone!

Happy Chooks and Sally Sunshine are either or both of you hatching?

 

[abmaddox1981]

Completely off the subject, but, I just got my first egg from my FBCMs that I got from a livestock auction 2 weeks ago and my project Ameracuana eggs from luvinbluechickens just showed up!!!!
Marans egg with project AM egg

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Welcome everyone!

Happy Chooks and Sally Sunshine are either or both of you hatching?

I am always hatching, we have alot of orders to fill and not enough eggs We only have 4 breeds so I set once a week or once every 2 until orders are filled, of course our Brahma yet again decided to take a break as did our CCL. what about you? plans?

Completely off the subject, but, I just got my first egg from my FBCMs that I got from a livestock auction 2 weeks ago and my project Ameracuana eggs from luvinbluechickens just showed up!!!!
Marans egg with project AM egg

Awesomeness!